42 Public Health 1 2003-10-01 2003-10-01 false Nonhuman primates. 71.53 Section 71.53 Public Health PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES QUARANTINE, INSPECTION, LICENSING FOREIGN QUARANTINE Importations
ยง 71.53 Nonhuman primates.

(a) Definitions.

As used in this section the term:

Importer means any person or corporation, partnership, or other organization, receiving live nonhuman primates from a foreign country within a period of 31 days, beginning with the importation date, whether or not the primates were held for part of the period at another location. The term importer includes the original importer and any other person or organization receiving imported primates within the 31-day period.

Nonhuman primates means all nonhuman members of the Order Primates, including, but not limited to, animals commonly known as monkeys, chimpanzees, orangutans, gorillas, gibbons, apes, baboons, marmosets, tamarin, lemurs, and lorises.

(b) General prohibition. No person or organization may import live nonhuman primates into the United States unless registered as an importer in accordance with applicable provisions of this section.

(c) Uses for which nonhuman primates may be imported and distributed. Live nonhuman primates may be imported into the United States and sold, resold, or otherwise distributed only for bona fide scientific, educational, or exhibition purposes. The importation of nonhuman primates for use in breeding colonies is also permitted provided that all offspring will be used only for scientific, educational, or exhibition purposes. The maintenance of nonhuman primates as pets, hobby, or an avocation with occasional display to the general public is not a permissible use.

(d) Registration of importers. (1) Importers of nonhuman primates shall register with the Director in a manner prescribed by the Director.

(2) Documentary evidence that an importer will use all nonhuman primates solely for the permitted purposes is required.

(3) Registration shall inlcude certification that the nonhuman primates will not be shipped, sold, or otherwise transferred to other persons or organizations without adequate proof that the primates will be used only for the permitted purposes.

(4) Registration shall be for 2 years, effective the date the application for registration is approved by the Director.

(5) Registration may be renewed by filing a registration application form with the Director not less than 30 days nor more than 60 days before expiration of the current registration.

(e) Recordkeeping and reporting requirement for registered importers. (1) Importers shall maintain records on each shipment of imported nonhuman primates received. The record on each shipment shall include the number of primates received, species, country of origin, date of importation, the number of primates in the shipment that die within 90 days after receipt, and cause(s) of deaths. If any primates in the shipment are sold or otherwise distributed within 90 days after receipt, the record shall include the number of primates in each shipment or sale, the dates of each shipment or sale, and the identity of the recipients. In addition, the record shall contain copies of documents that were presented to the importer to establish that the recipient would use the primates solely for the permitted purposes. The records shall be maintained in an organized manner in a central location at or in close proximity to the importer's primate holding facility. The records shall be maintained for a period of 3 years and shall be available for inspection by the Director at any time.

(2) Importers shall report to the Director by telephone within 24 hours the occurrence of any illness in nonhuman primates that is suspected of being yellow fever, monkeypox, or Marburg/Ebola disease.

(3) Importers also shall report to the Director by telephone within 24 hours the occurrence of illness in any member of their staff suspected of having an infectious disease acquired from nonhuman primates.

(f) Disease control measures. Upon receipt of evidence of exposure of nonhuman primates to a communicable disease that may constitute a threat to public health, the Director may provide for or require examination, treatment, detention, isolation, seizure, or destruction of exposed animals. Any measures required shall be at the owner's expense.

(g) Disposal of excluded nonhuman primates. Nonhuman primate(s) excluded from the United States by provisions of this section shall, at the owner's option and expense, be exported, destroyed, or given to a scientific, educational, or exhibition facility under arrangements approved by the Director. If the owner fails to dispose of the nonhuman primate by one of the approved options or fails to select a method of disposal within 7 days, the Director will select the method of disposal. Pending disposal, the nonhuman primate(s) shall be detained at the owner's expense in custody of the U.S. Customs Service at the U.S. port.

(h) Revocation of an importer's registration. (1) An importer's registration may be revoked by the Director, upon notice to the importer holding such registration, if the Director determines that the importer has failed to comply with any applicable provisions of this section. The notice shall contain a statement of the grounds upon which the revocation is based.

(2) The importer may file an answer within 20 days after receipt of the notice. Answers shall admit or deny specifically, and in detail, each allegation in the notice. Allegations in the notice not denied by answer shall be deemed admitted. Matters alleged as affirmative defenses shall be separately stated and numbered. Failure of the importer to file an answer within 20 days after receipt of the notice may be deemed an admission of all allegations of fact recited in the notice.

(3) The importer shall be entitled to a hearing with respect to the revocation upon filing a written request, either in the answer or in a separate document, with the Director within 20 days after the effective date of revocation. Failure to request a hearing shall be deemed a waiver of hearing and as consent to the submission of the case to the Director for decision based on the written record. The failure both to file an answer and to request a hearing shall be deemed to constitute consent to the making of a decision on the basis of available information.

(4) As soon as practicable after the completion of any hearing conducted pursuant to the provisions of this section, the Director shall render a final decision. A copy of such decision shall be served on the importer.

(5) An importer's registration which has been revoked may be reinstated by the Director upon inspection, examination of records, conference with the importer, and receipt of information and assurances of compliance with the requirements of this section.

(i) Other permits. In addition to the requirements under this section, permits to import certain species of nonhuman primates may also be required under other Federal regulations (50 CFR parts 17 and 23) protecting such species.

(Approved by the Office of Management and Budget under control number 0920-0134)